Poker Security

Whether we like to admit it or not, there are a lot of people who play poker for money, and not for fun. Although it’s a shame, as it is a game which has a lot to offer, it’s true that all of us rejoice when we win, regardless of the reason why we started playing. This is because, in itself, poker manages to combine everything that you could need to have fun and feel productive at the same time. However, some would do anything to win, even if it means ruining the experience for everybody else. Luckily, there are ways in which you can detect cheaters without much effort.

In terms of online poker, the most common way of cheating consists of botting software. Predictably, bots are software that has been coded to play the game without any need for human intervention. It’s true that they don’t exactly represent a threat for experienced poker players, but they’re still more skilled than a recreational player or a beginner. You can figure out if you’re playing against a bot if they’re spending a lot of hours at several tables, and if they have repetitive patterns and tendencies during the game. Also, if their tendencies differ from what you usually encounter, there might be a chance that you’re facing against a bot. Pay attention to groups that join tables simultaneously, especially if they have almost the same HUD stats.

Another common method of cheating is that of colluding, which involves working together with someone else from the table. They can join a table at the same time and communicate via calls. Although it’s not that easy to spot them, look out for people who enter the pot at the same time and seem to play illogically.

Unfortunately, you can also find corrupt poker websites. This is why it’s probably the wisest decision to play poker on the top rated websites, such as PokerStars. There have been some cases in which such platforms have not processed withdrawals. Because of this, it is very important to read reviews and, if you can, ask other players about online poker rooms.

When it comes to more experienced players, you can be unlucky enough to meet card mechanics. These people are able to easily manipulate a deck of cards and memorize the exact order of all of them. In this manner, they can get to the cards they need while seemingly dealing them from the top of the pack.

Other common methods of cheating include marking the back of a card and switching cards when they have a high-value one on them (probably up the sleeve).

Even though winning a poker game is going to help you gain profit, it’s good to keep in mind that games also become entertaining when you take them seriously. It’s not just fair to play by the rules, but it will also help you keep the essence of the game alive while playing, thus allowing everyone at the table to have fun.